Shloka 9

Śara-śayyā-sthita-bhīṣma-saṃvāda-prastāvaḥ

The Prelude to Questioning Bhīṣma on the Bed of Arrows

Devanagari script

अयं प्राणानुत्सिसक्षुस्तं सर्वेडभ्यनुपृच्छत । कृत्स्नान्‌ हि विविधान्‌ धर्मश्षातुर्वर्ण्यस्य वेत्त्ययम्‌

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | ayaṁ prāṇān utsisṛkṣuḥ taṁ sarve 'bhyānupṛcchata | kṛtsnān hi vividhān dharmān cāturvarṇyasya vetty ayam ||

Translation

ବୈଶମ୍ପାୟନ କହିଲେ—“ଏହି ଭୀଷ୍ମ ପ୍ରାଣତ୍ୟାଗ କରିବାକୁ ଉଦ୍ୟତ; ତେଣୁ ତୁମେ ସମସ୍ତେ ତାଙ୍କୁ ପ୍ରଶ୍ନ କର। କାରଣ ଚାତୁର୍ବର୍ଣ୍ୟର ସମସ୍ତ ଓ ବିଭିନ୍ନ ଧର୍ମ ସେ ସମ୍ପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ ଭାବେ ଜାଣନ୍ତି।”

Word by Word

• अयम्: this (man)
• अयम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्राणान्: life-breaths; life
• प्राणान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• उत्सिसृक्षुः: wishing to relinquish (to give up)
• उत्सिसृक्षुः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्सिसृक्षु (from desiderative of √सृज्/√सृज् 'to let go, release' with prefix उत्)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• अभ्यनुपृच्छत: asked (him) repeatedly / questioned
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु-प्रच्छ् (with prefix अभि + अनु)
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

• कृत्स्नान्: entire; complete
• कृत्स्नान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत्स्न
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• हि: indeed; for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• विविधान्: various
• विविधान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• धर्मान्: duties; laws; dharmas
• धर्मान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• चातुर्वर्ण्यस्य: of the fourfold social order (four varṇas)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चातुर्वर्ण्य
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• वेत्ति: knows
• Type: Verb
• Root: √विद् (to know)
• Form: Present (Laṭ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• अयम्: this (man)
• अयम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Bhīṣma
• cāturvarṇya (the four varṇas)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

When a great knower of dharma is about to depart, seekers should promptly inquire, because such a teacher can clarify the complete and diverse duties that sustain society—especially the dharmas connected with the fourfold social order.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana indicates that Bhīṣma is preparing to give up his life-breaths, and therefore everyone present should ask him their questions; Bhīṣma is presented as an authoritative source on the full range of cāturvarṇya-dharmas.